National Affairs

The Union Government and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a 200 million USD loan agreement to finance widening and upgrading of about 230 Kilometers State Highways in Bihar.

The agreement was signed by Sameer Kumar Khare (Additional Secretary in the Finance Ministry) and Rajeev P. Singh (Officer-in-Charge of ADB's India Resident Mission) in New Delhi.

This loan will help the State government to upgrade all State Highways to meet the minimum two-lane standard with better surfaces and improved road safety.

Under the Bihar State Highways-3 Project, a State-level Road Research Institute will also be established to improve the technical and management capacity of the Road Agency Staff.

3. Vice President lays foundation stone for Kartarpur corridor

Vice President of India Sri Venkaiah Naidu laid the foundation stone of the Dera Baba Nanak - Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in an event at Mann village of Gurdaspur district of Punjab, India.

The corridor will connect ‘Dera Baba Nanak’ (in Gurdaspur district-India) to the ‘Gurdwara Darbar Sahib’ (in Kartarpur in Narowal district of Pakistan).

The corridor will provide smooth and easy passage to Sikh pilgrims to visit ‘Gurdwara Darbar Sahib’ in Pakistan throughout the year (completed by 23rd November 2019).

Currently, Sikh pilgrims have-to go through the long visa process, wait for particular dates of buses to reach the Gurudwara via Wagah border.

Note:

The Kartarpur Gurudwara (Darbar Sahib Kartarpur) is situated on the banks of river ‘Ravi’, considered to be the first gurdwara ever built.

4. Government to set up National Sports Stadium for differently-abled in Meghalaya

According to Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot, A stadium of international standard for differently-abled persons (estimated cost of over Rs 200 crore) will be set up in Meghalaya.

The decision was taken after Conrad Sangma (Meghalaya Chief Minister) came forward with the proposal and provided 50 acres of land for the same.

The stadium is expected to be completed before National Games 2022.

5. National festival for CCI children ‘HAUSLA-2018’ inaugurated in New Delhi

The Shri Rakesh Srivastava (the Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development) has inaugurated the four-day National Festival for Children of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) ‘Hausla 2018’ in New Delhi.

'Hausla 2018' has seen the participation of more than 600 children from CCIs across 18 states.

The theme for the event is 'child safety'.

The objective of the event was to provide a national platform to the children from CCIs to showcase their talent, realise their hidden talents and to take it forward in their lives.

Note:

CIF and National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) are assisting the ministry to organise the event.